Meet Jasmynn (Jazz) Nichole | Surfboard Shaper & Surf School Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jasmynn (Jazz) Nichole and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jasmynn (Jazz), we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I created Jazz Shapes-Custom Surfboards shortly after wanting to make a new surfboard for a contest I was surfing in. I had always wanted to shape my own board and a few people in the industry had already offered to teach me about surf craft. I had the most amazing mentor who ghost shapes for a lot of big names in the industry. I rode that board and had so much fun on it, it felt so rewarding to dance on the board and to have something under my feet that I made with my own two hands. After that, a couple friends asked for boards and so I came up with a name and logo and I was in business. My motivation to shape boards and the passion that keeps me going is being the only female surfboard shaper in Orange County. It is a really cool thing to pave the way for other women and to inspire others and let people know that there is space in this industry for rad women. I hope to be influential to young girls and women who want to be a part of the surf industry.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I have always loved art from a very early age. I have always loved getting my hands dirty and painting, experimenting with fabric and sewing, writing music and playing guitar, drawing and photography, anything creative has been an outlet for me forever really. When it comes to Jazz Shapes, the vision was to create surfboard shapes custom to peoples surf style, body and their own surfing goals and desires. I wanted the brand to be collaborative, as much as I love the aesthetic of many brands out there that are uniform and clean, I also knew that it wasn’t for me. I love he wild chaos and colors and exploration. I wanted my clients ti be able to express themselves through their board and that translates when you’re out in the water. As much as I love the free-flowing art, I have learned that I need to drop the need for everything to be perfect before it’s complete or shared with the world. I have learned in this industry that sometimes don’t turn out the way you want them to be and to let it go and appreciate the process and not the outcome. Most of the time, my internal voice is so hyper-critical, then I take a finished board to a client and they are so stoked thinking it’s even better than they imagined. That joy and relief is what keeps me going. I hold onto those feel good moments through the trials and tribulations. I have so much more research to do and will forever be in awe and learning.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love my home- Huntington Beach! There are so many surf spots all along PCH and every single one of them is unique in its own way. My home break is Bolsa Chica and Northside of the Pier. Walking the pier is fun, watch the surfers, grab a bite- Broad Street Oyster Co. is opening up and I’m so excited, the food is so good! Dinner, drinks and dancing is so much fun at Sandbar on Main St. The vibe is cool and they offer live music. The street fair on Main Street happens every Tuesday night and is a great way to spend an evening immersed in the local vibe. Huntington Surf and Sport is my favorite surf shop, I take all my clients there to get surf gear for their new board! Luv Coffee in Sunset Beach is incredible and their mission behind Luv is so beautiful, you can also check out one of my boards there! If you’re craving poke, North Shore Poke is amazing! Pacific City is an outdoor mall right by the beach and is a great place to shop and eat, I find myself there on weekends and love to frequent Bearflag Fish Co, The Bungalow, and Ola Mexican. Pasea is my favorite hotel downtown for a staycation, the pool has a beautiful view of Southide of the pier and the ocean is always glimmering from up top. There are so many rad places in town but these are a few of my favorite.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to give a huge shoutout to Steve from DMA Surfboards. I worked for Steve doing graphic design, running board orders and deliveries and some photography. When I expressed that I wanted to shape, he was the one who took me to the shop to get me dialed in with all the guys. A massive thanks to Mark, Jim , Travis, Baliti, Jerry, Scott and all the boys over at Pure Glass in Costa Mesa. The outpouring of love and support I have received means so much to me. Everyone has been so helpful and I have so much gratitude for you all. Also a shoutout to Steve at Aloha Glassing for all the help when I had just started. A big thank you to the community for supporting me and uplifting me, to everyone who has ordered a board or shared my name! Much love to you all!

Website: www.jazzshapes.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jazz.shapes/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100084763882296